Monday, September 29, 2014

Traction

There was a talk in the last General Conference by Elder Bednar about a man who took his new 4-wheel drive pick-up into the snowy mountains for firewood. The snow was deep, and then man got stuck in the snow, in spite of the 4-wheel drive. He decided he would get out and cut wood anyway, and later when his truck was full of newly cut wood, he had the traction he needed to get out of the deep snow and move forward.

This last Sunday, we felt like we already had a full load in our life "pick-up." After the Primary Program in sacrament meeting, which I wrote and helped get ready to perform even though I was released from the Primary Presidency weeks ago, I was in the nursery for my new calling. Bro. R came by the nursery room and said the stake president wanted to see Ryan and me.

I suppose it's too late to not come to church and just hide, right? Those meetings with the stake president don't bode well.

After questions about our worthiness (wait- can I go buy cigarettes and liquor right now on Sunday?), the call was extended for Ryan to be in the new bishopric.

Ryan laughed.

He always laughs. ("Hey, your wife has two babies in her womb. " -Ryan laughed.)

And I felt like we should say yes. We both did. Right there in that church classroom, the Holy Ghost witnessed to us that this was a calling from the Lord.

Much-less-than-perfect-me felt very overwhelmed. My husband is married to needy me, has 4 darling, demanding children, has a job which could easily take over his life, and after cramming a master's degree into one year is pursuing his Administration degree with internship in a year.

Ryan was set apart as 2nd counselor in the new bishopric at church yesterday. His parents and both of his sisters and their families came too.

The wife of the just-released bishop came by today and dropped off this beautiful arrangement of flowers. She said it was a thank you to us for being willing to service, but secretly I think it was out of sympathy.

I've been reading the scriptures and conference talks a lot lately. The thought that has been sticking out to me is that the Lord gives us challenges and opportunities to grow when we are ready for them.